Back in October, Mrs Dex and I went to Mohegan Sun Casino to see Duran Duran (pics here!). We stayed over night and since it was only an hour away, we went to the PEZ Visitor Center.
And I'm so glad we did! It was a lot of fun and they not only have an incredible display of PEZ dispensers but also all sorts of things from the history of PEZ.
The first thing to greet you as you enter is this enormous display of PEZ dispensers. Also, how great is that little bench that looks like candy rolls? I'd love to have something like that!
Well, that certainly felt like the longest November ever! If you haven't started your holiday shopping yet, click this link to check out current Amazon deals or use any of the affiliate linked titles below.
I finally started playing Star Wars Outlaws so I may not be posting as much this month.
It's been a loooong time since I saw the musical and even longer since I read the book so I can't compare this to the source material but what I can say is that I was thoroughly entertained! So much so that I didn't even notice the 160 minute run time. It's been three days and I still have Defying Gravity stuck in my head...or maybe it's ALL the advertising for the movie? Expect to see a movie musical revival as studios try to cash in on this one.
I've had this on my list ever since I got Shudder how ever many years ago and
finally decided to check it off. This is a fantastic home invasion movie! The
majority of it is a 1v1 with lots of tense moments. My only issue with it is I
don't know why the antagonist didn't just break one of the windows to get in
the house.
The
Coolidge Corner Theater
in Brookline, MA is an independent movie house that's been operating since
1933. While they get first run movies, they also offer special programing year
round. In addition to the 23rd annual 24 hour horror-thon, this year they also
featured
Schlock and Awe
spotlighting the films of William Castle.
I discovered Castle from his movies with Vincent Price and ever since then,
experiencing one his films as audiences did in the 50s and 60s has been a top
time machine wish list destination.
Castle mostly made B movies but his genius was in providing some sort of
gimmick in the theater. House on Haunted Hill was filmed in Emergo where a
skeleton would "come out" of the screen and float above the audience. For 13
Ghosts, filmed in Illusion-O, audiences were provided a
ghost viewer
that gave you the option of not seeing the ghosts if you were too
terrified.
You can see the movies offered on the poster above. Joe Dante's movie Matinee
features John Goodman playing a William Castle type film maker. House on
Haunted Hill is one of my favorite Price movies but I was more interested in
experiencing The Tingler in
Percepto!.
There was quite a turnout for the movie which made me really happy knowing
there are so many other Price fans out there. I mean, I know there are but how
often do you get to see one of his movies with an audience? And of course, I brought my Vincent Price action figure with me!
This was certainly a different Halloween. I went into Salem as usual to
stalk the streets...or rather I should say The Creep did.
Typically, Halloween night in Salem has an autumn chill in the air. There have
been times when it was colder or warmer but this year was probably the
warmest. When I got into town around 6:30, it was 70 degrees! We'd had a
couple days of unseasonably warm days so I was prepared. It was the first time
I've worn shorts and a sleeveless tee under the costume, and it was definitely
the right call.
I know a lot of us Hallo-weirdos get into a funk after the big day so I wanted
to share this Instagram post from Jason at The Cryptocurium. If you love
Halloween and horror, go check out his art and figures!
I've still got at least one spooky post coming up to keep the vibe rolling.
There's probably plenty of random videos you can find of Halloween night in
Salem. This one is just over 30 minutes and will give you an idea of the
costumes and craziness. Ok, it's not really crazy, it's just a LOT of people.
Here's another video that visits the Salem Night Faire I posted about recently
to give you a better idea of what it's like there. Derek Millen does a lot of
Salem-centric videos and he's got plenty on his channel just from this
October if you want to virtually check things out.
Over the past few months, binged all five seasons. Kinda sad this year is the final season. The show is so damn funny with top notch performances and certain things that will no doubt linger in the pop culture consciousness for years to come.
I don't know if I would have watched this if not for the buzz I'd been seeing
around it, but I'm glad I did! It's an...odd amalgamation of thriller, murder
mystery, and horror that works very well. It actually feels like something
that Hammer could have put out in the 70s. It's the kind of creepy that might
have you turning on lights in the house when you're alone.
Not only did I get to introduce Mrs Dex to one of my all time favorite movies
but we got to see it in a theater with a live band performing the music! It's
quite an experience seeing this with an audience and the live music. There
were a handful of people in costume but hearing the audience reactions was a
real treat. The tour is going for quite awhile so
check ticket availability!
Rating: I can't objectively give a rating to this, it's part of my DNA
We've made it to the finish line! Here is the final Halloween Hot Wheels
of 2024 and tomorrow is Halloween!
Street Shaker was introduced in 2011 and this is the 15th release. In 2017, it
was released with
Batman deco
as part of a Justice League wave.
This one looks like it would be the perfect ride for Slimer. It might not be
his exact shade of green but it looks like it's dripping with ectoplasm.
From the Hot Wheels Wiki:
Street Shaker is a high-performance muscle car design, blending classic
styling with modern performance. Designed by Jun Imai in collaboration with
NASCAR racing driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., the car was originally named
Hammerhead (stylized on card as "Hammerhead"), the name being chosen by
Earnhardt; Earnhardt has stated that the car's design is based on "an old
Chevrolet Bel Air fused with a modern Camaro". Due to copyright reasons the
model has been named "Street Shaker" since 2014.
One of my favorite things about toy cars since I was a kid is when they mold
the interior of the vehicle. Not only can you see the engine but the steering
wheel and stick shift. It's like you can put yourself right in there.
You're tuned into KRPT radio for another round of hits from the
underground.
Six feet underground!
Are you groovy ghouls ready to rock? Click the cover art to go to Bandcamp
where you can preview and purchase the tunes.
Midnight Danger makes some great darksynth that sounds like it was taken from
an obscure 80s horror flick. In addition to their terrifying tunes, they have
a
killer music video for To the Shadows and Back
which is a fantastic tribute to 80s horror.
Punk Rock Halloween II brings you 28 tracks to keep your blood
pumpin'...assuming you're still alive. I'm not sure if this is 100% covers but
there are a lot including: Grim Grinning Ghosts, Ghostbusters, (It;s A)
Monsters Holiday, and Dead Man's Party.
If you need something a little more mellow, how about The Manchester String
Quartet's A Gothic Halloween? They cover the theme from Halloween, Don't Fear
the Reaper, and even Marilyn Manon's The Beautiful People. Most of these
aren't songs I'd put on a Halloween mix (I'm a snob about my Halloween music)
but hearing them covered this way, they hit a little different.
BoJo is back with his annual Halloween Mix Tape. There's all sorts of
fun stuff in here. If you enjoy classic novelty albums, here's another to add
to your collection...for free!
In September 2023, I found a Kickstarter for Haunted Halloween, a board game
about trick or treating. It had almost everything I would put in my dream
trick or treat game, so I had to back it!
In case you're wondering, the only
thing really missing that my dream version would have is a "take that" element
where you can play tricks on houses...or other players!
The game arrived just in time for Halloween! Being the Hallo-weirdo that I am,
I went in for the Deluxe version of the game which includes a lot of fun
extras.
I should take this time to mention that this game is put out by Castle Clark, which is a small family owned and operated business. I've been in touch with them regarding a couple issues with the shipping (not their fault) and they have been super!
The back of the box shows what all is included. The Deluxe version extras
include 3D printed player figures, ghost figures, candy corn trays to hold the
treats you earn, a 3D printed coffin, and a 3D printed Jack-O-Lantern to hold
all the candy pieces.
A couple weekends ago, Mrs Dex and I went to check out Halloween on the
Hill in Beverly, MA. She's not the biggest fan of haunted attractions so this year I tried to find more family friendly things.
Long Hill is a 114 acre estate and for most of the year,
you can visit the public gardens and walk trails through the woods. For
October, it's transformed into Halloween on the Hill!
The trails are populated by hundreds of carved funkins and Halloween
decorations.
This pumpkin portal was there as a photo op backdrop but there was another one
as you enter the walking trails.
For a few weekends in October you can step into the Salem Night Faire, a
craft fair that shares its border of reality with strange beings from another
realm. This is the seventh year for the Faire and I finally decided to pay a
visit.
The Faire has over 50 vendors offering all sorts of things including jewelry,
clothing, art, and other hand made items. There's also plenty of food and
drink to be had. The event is located at
Salem's Pioneer Village. Hocus Pocus fans would no doubt recognize Binx's home as the early Salem scenes were filmed here.
You can even find the Sanderson's spell book inside the building.
I'm aware of Overwatch but have never played it. I don't generally go for
squad based games where you might have to actually talk to your teammates.
Definitely more of a solo gamer here but I was definitely happy to have been
gifted this Pop from someone that knows what I like.
If my quick, uninspired Google search is accurate, this seems to be some kind
of alternate skin for the Reaper character and not what they normally look
like in game. Which is a shame, I really want a 6" scale action figure of this
pumpkin-headed badass! The "normal" version looks more like a sci-fi Death in
black with a skull-like mask.
He's decked out in a windswept duster, some sci-fi body armor, and his gunbelt
has a little skull and crossbones on the buckle. He's also dual wielding a
pair of blasters. Ain't nobody smashing this pumpkin!
Not much to see on the back side but the "blowing in the wind" duster.
The best thing about him is the glow in the dark feature which lights up his
orange skin and Jack-o'-Lantern features.
Unintentionally saved the best deck for last. I found this one on the
5th and had the other playing card posts done already.
This is what I'd call a premium deck straight out of the wrapper! The tuckbox
is a matte black with silver and purple foil that makes the front really pop.
Even the inside of the box has graphics! Just getting this far in opening it,
I was already impressed.
Zooming along, the fourth week of Halloween Hot Wheels goes Muscle
Bound.
Muscle Bound is a relatively new model, having just debuted in 2019. This is
the sixth version to be released. In 2023, it appeared in a Batman 5-pack with
a
Robin paint job.
From the back of the 2019 card:
Eye-blurring acceleration and eye-popping styling come together in this
salute to the American muscle car era. The twin 4-barrel V8 engine in this
car is so huge, a giant power bulge had to be built into the hood to contain
it!
Hot Wheels design can get crazy and it's good to see a "normal" look once in
awhile. It kind of looks like a sports Cybertruck from this angle. That aside,
the grinning jack-o'-lantern design along with the 31/Halloween graphic make this
a solid entry for the Graveyard Garage.
Click the cover art to go to Bandcamp where you can preview/purchase the
music.
The short lived Zombina and the Skeletones side project, Beat Bats has posted
this rare EP which you can download for free, but only for a limited time.
Halloween at High Noon has quite a collection of 13 tracks from different
artists.I really like this one because it's electronic/dub so you're getting
creepy tunes with some bass (the instrument, not the fish). In addition to
13 Tricks, they also released
13 Treats here.
Toad/Retoad is the latest from Boo Dudes who always deliver comedy with a
Halloween theme. With songs like "The Legend of Creepy Follow",
"Frankenstein Crashed on my Couch", and "Do the Dirt Nap Dougie" you know
you're in for a fun time.
Halloween Scene's The Last Trick or Treater is a soundtrack based on the album
art and a short story. This would be good ambience for your front door
Halloween night.
If you like a little spooky in your surf, check out this collection from
Greasy Mike. Not every track is Halloween adjacent but it is a fun throwback
novelty album.
Don't forget to visit the other Countdown to Halloween sites!
After last week's
Halloween Party, it's time to divvy up your candy!
Tricks and Treats is another card game from
Trick or Treat Studios
featuring the art of Drew Rausch. The game itself actually came out in 2012
and this is an updated version with new art.
In this fast and fun game of bluffing, you must divvy up your Halloween
candy fairly. Or at least, make it seem like it's split fairly. If someone
else can guess which bucket is yours, you'll be forced to give up your
entire haul!
This is another game where you're trying to out bluff your opponents. The goal
is to have the most candy at the end of the game. To start, a number of candy
buckets are placed equal to the number of players plus two. Then each player
is secretly assigned one of the buckets with a card that matches it.
On your turn, you draw a card then play a candy to any of the buckets.
Obviously you want to put candy into your own bucket but as part of anyone's
turn, they can "tattle" on you by guessing which bucket is yours. If they're
right, you're out of the game. If they're wrong, they are out of the game and
you get their bucket card to add to your score.
The reaper above is the "game over" card. He is secretly shuffled into the
bottom three cards of the deck so you never knew exactly when the game will
end..assuming people don't get tattled out of the game!
There are also special baskets you can add to the mix to make things more
interesting.
Here's a brief overview and review of the game.
As of this writing, Tricks and Treats is sold out at
Trick or Treat Studios
but I have spotted it in Barnes & Noble.
While browsing TikTok, an ad popped up for something I was actually
interested in, can you believe it? It looked like it might a fun little
Halloween treat so I pulled the trigger.
It's a 3D printed coffin (with magnetic lid) full of little critters and
spooks. It's also the perfect size to fit a 3.75" action figure! Tasha is
hanging out in this post for size reference.
There's a total of 10 figures stuffed in the coffin. 3D printed hinged toys
seem to be the hot thing if the ads I keep seeing are any indication. The bat,
spider, and axolotl are super cute. The cat is probably supposed to be lying
down but kind of looks like it got run over. The ghost has a neat little
feature where the legs/feet can be extended as they are here or tucked inside.
A...ghost bee? Maybe it's a boo-bee, that pun's definitely been around awhile.
Not sure why there's a pigeon in with this crew but there it is. I think it'd
be better if it were printed in black with yellow eyes/beak. I love the little
people in the front. Maybe it's the round heads or them being a little chonky
but they seem like they're having a good time.
